SUGi at COP26 - Taking Direct Action
We took direct action at COP26 in Glasgow, through the creation of three SUGi Pocket Forests that illustrate the power of the Miyawaki method to restore ecosystems and communities.
Oakwood Primary Forest
An outdoor classroom to immerse children in nature
The site is an area of land that has recently been gifted to the school from the local council. The school is located in what is considered to be one of the most deprived areas of Scotland and many of the children don’t have access to nature in their daily lives. Previous planting attempts have been unsuccessful. SUGi is delighted to now be working with Oakwood Primary to ensure that the children and school community have a resilient and flourishing forest to help nurture and watch grow in strength.
In planting a Miyawaki forest with the involvement of the students, we aim to provide not simply a one-off educational and therapeutic experience for the children, but an outdoor classroom that will bring nature into their lives for the long-term.
Broomfield Forest
Creating a holistic biodiversity hub in urbanised Glasgow
Broomfield Forest will bring nature closer for Glasgow’s urban dwellers. Located in a park directly opposite Balornock Primary school, the area is a community hub that contains many sports pitches. While relatively green, the area lacks abundant wildlife and ecological richness. It has been overlooked in regards to tree-planting initiatives in recent years. Broomfield Forest will create a dense native forest, restoring a pocket of land where flora and fauna can thrive and human health flourish.
The forest will support the learning and wellbeing of Balornock Primary students, whose two acre grounds comprise mainly of hard paving without any trees or plants. Developing the awareness for these youth will help build a culture of appreciation for the natural world and their vital place within it.
Springburn Forest
A forest to help rejuvenate this historic Glasgow park
Springburn Park is an important area of green space in northern Glasgow that has become semi-derelict in recent years. Most visible in the collapse of a Victorian greenhouse that sits in its grounds. SUGi is delighted to be a part of the efforts to revitalise this area, creating a Miyakwaki forest that will support the restoration of this historic building, whose former activities celebrated the natural world and made it’s wonders accessible to the people of Glasgow.
The Springburn Forest will continue to celebrate and even support the natural world, by creating a haven for biodiversity to thrive and enabling the local community to see this in action. It will not only bring people closer to nature and help connect them together with each other, but the forest will make it possible to breathe more easily. Within ten years, the forest should emit between 800 and 1000 kilos of oxygen per year back into Glasgow's atmosphere. In the immediate area of the forest, NO2 pollution levels could be reduced by 33% and airborne particulate matter by 10% or more.
